HDTV - Analog Cut off date question...

[ShredderFan]

I wast just t hinking something..

Eventually, all Cards may have to support QAM and ATSC. But, in 2009, when the anolog signal gets cut off, will your trusty, three year old AIW X1900 TV tuner still be able to receive a TV Signal?

 

[ZenOps]

Who said the analog signal would be cut off?

It will be a requirement for TV broadcasters to transmit digitally from one station to another through satellite. The end home user may recieve analog until the end of time (there is plenty of room for both digital and analog channels, duplicated many times over on a coaxial cable)

 

[pxc]

Yeah, through cable.

Analog OTA broadcasts will be gone, not analog TV signals.

edit: ZenOps: the FCC will be reclaiming analog frequencies used by broadcast TV after the cut off date,

 

[ZenOps]

Reclaiming maybe, but not cutting off... And its up to the individual cable company to decide if and when they want to cut off analog core services.

I can't imagine most of New york for example has high enough quality shielded hybrid coax to attempt a digital conversion anytime in the next decade. Most of the infrastructure was laid down over 50 years ago (back before RG-59 was in regular use)

 

[pxc]

Um when the OTA broadcast TV frequencies are reclaimed and sold off, then they are cut off. http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6305856.html

I think you misunderstood me. I said that even after the switchover, cable will still provide analog signals after OTA analog broadcasts are cut off.

If you need a box to watch your cable on a TV, you'll also need a box to watch TV on your analog TV card.

 

[ZenOps]

Ok, thats makes sense

There are so many ways to broadcast, its important to know which ones will be going digital (if the date is not extended, or completely changed by another administration)

There are many C-Band (9-foot or larger) satellite dishes that will still be using good old analog until the satellites fall out of the sky. Many because they aren't bound by US law. OTA is a great candidate to be the first to switch to fully digital as there are hardly any people who recieve analog with the rabbit ears nowadays anyhow.

Still, for cable operators, I can see them culling channels 2-13 for a massive increase in available digital bandwidth for several HDTV channels, and it would still leave them with channels 14-125 for analog.